Tens of thousands of Iranians marched today as part of “Quds Day” commemorations, which is held each year on the 31st of May, marking the day that Israel reasserted its control over the ancient city, during the Six-Day 1967 Middle East war.
The event is characterized by the burning of U.S. and Israeli flags, and mob-chants of “Death to America,” “death to the United Kingdom” and “Death to Israel.”
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Guardian Council Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati declared this year’s Quds Day to lead to the annihilation of the state of Israel. According to the public relations department of the Guardians Council, which is Iran’s most Supreme Islamic Authority, Ayatollah Jannati stressed that the latest escalation between the United States and Iran is forcing the Islamic Republic “to exercise resistance” – a term used for an armed confrontation with the West in general, and Israel in particular.
Meanwhile, the statement by Ayatollah Jannati coincided with a statement made by the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, who asserted that “despite the existing problems and sanctions, Iran is to keep supporting resistance groups, especially those in Palestine.”
In response to the voiced Iranian support, Hamas‘ military commander Yahya Sinwar vowed to “pulverize” Tel Aviv during the next military confrontation with Israel with “double the force” than Hamas used in the last war, which took place in 2014.
Sinwar boasted that the missile barrage that claimed the lives of 4 Israeli’s at the start of this month during latest flareup of violence was made possible only with Iran’s help. Sinwar said “Tel Aviv was struck with an Iranian Fajr-5 rocket and with locally manufactured rockets,” and that “Without the Iranian support, the Palestinian resistance would not have achieved these capabilities.” He elaborated that Tehran’s continued stream of assistance includes both “knowledge and equipment.”